Irina Egorova will be held in custody until August 10, and Maxim Zakutaylo - until August 1

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MOSCOW, June 5 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow's Khamovniki court on Wednesday extended the arrest of two suspects in the high-profile case over theft of Defense Ministry funds. Former director general of a warehouse of the Moscow military district of Air Force and Air Defense Maxim Zakutailo, and former director general of the Prioritet company Irina Yegorova will remain in custody until August 1, and August 10, respectively, the court's spokeswoman Darya Lyakh told Itar-Tass.

The main military investigation department /GVSU/, Investigative Committee, opened eight criminal cases over fraud and embezzlement where the sum of damage was estimated at some four billion roubles. In February 2013, GVSU director Alexander Sorochkin said the so-called Oboronservis case comprised 12 episodes.

Defense Ministry officials selected the most liquid and prestigious assets belonging to the Ministry, including Moscow-based property. As a rule, tremendous budget funds were injected into the property before it was sold at understated prices to commercial bodies affiliated with the Oboronservis company, the SK reported earlier.

Also, many facilities were purchased with the money stolen from Oboronservis.

Yegorova is accused of registering four commercial organizations in 2012 and taking the posts of their director generals. Over a year, more than 123 million roubles were transferred to the accounts of the above firms. The money was obtained under fictitious documents. Part of the money was cashed and embezzled and the remaining sum was transferred to the accounts of the firms she controlled.

Another top suspect in the Oboronservis case is Yevgenia Vasilyeva, former director of the Defense Ministry's property department.

Earlier this month, Moscow's Khamovniki court extended her arrest to July 23.

Vasilyeva was placed under house arrest on November 23, 2012. The Moscow City Court later eased some restrictions, but banned her from having visitors from among the suspects or witnesses in the criminal case.

A search of Vasilyeva's apartment found 3.5 million roubles, a collection of paintings, and 1,173 pieces of jewelry worth over three million dollars.

The first cases against suspects in the Oboronservis case may go on trial as early as this autumn.